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Ignoring the disgruntled yowl, Josie carried the pet kennel into the bathroom and shut the door. She crouched downto open the carrier door and waited for the cat to come out. He refused, peering at her from slitted golden eyes. “Take your time” she whispered, a gentle smile tipping the corners of her lips upward. He inched forward, only to retreat further into the kennel. Ideally, she would sit with him, let him know he didn’t need to be afraid but she could feel her phone buzzing in her pocket, reminding her of the downside of living where she did: no real excuse for delaying.
***
“I’m back," she called out to her mother, letting herself in through the back door. The kitchen was empty, but the low rumble of voices could be heard coming from the living room. Her face lit up as she saw her older by fifteen-minutes brother animatedly talking to Aunt Beckett, while their mother fussed over Jonas. “I smell happiness,” she teased, wrapping her arms around Kyle’s waist. Her body stiffened when he volleyed back, he smelled jealousy. She started to pull away, ready to face whatever wrath her mother would unleash when she said she wasn’t staying for dinner; there was no way she was staying after that remark.
“I’m only playing,” Kyle murmured, squeezing her tighter before stepping back. “You don’t have a jealous bone in your body.”
Jonas murmured his agreement, adding that if anything she was too giving. “Which is why you’re going to let us thank you for putting together the most perfect proposal ever.”
A gasp escaped their mother’s lips. She shot Josie a questioning look. “Did you know?” Ruth shook her head. “Well of course you knew. Jonas just said you planned their proposal. Oh... I bet it was wonderful!” It had been, if Josie said so herself. When Kyle came to her for help, she couldn’t refuse. Creating the perfect proposal for them hadn’t been hard. The pair lovedto watch romantic, black and white classics. She took that shared love and helped Kyle create a movie file that included a proposal in the opening credits.
“It was all kinds of wonderful,” Jonas gushed. Without warning, he grabbed Josie’s hands. “Seriously, you have to let me thank you.”
“No thanks needed.” Throughout the course of her brother’s three-year relationship with Jonas, Josie had learned that ‘let me thank you’ was code for gifts. A gift was the last thing Josie wanted; it would tarnish something she had done out of love. There was also the fact that, aside from Kyle, Jonas had terrible, over the top taste. “Seriously, just seeing the two of you getting your happily ever after is enough for me.”
“We insist.” The ‘we,’ paired with the way Kyle kept looking anywhere but at her, raised the hair on the back of Josie’s neck. Whatever form of gratitude Jonas had cooked up, Josie had a feeling she was going to hate it. His last gift had been semi-traumatizing. It had been a goat yoga session, where some deceptively cute goat had crawled on her back, chewed off a chunk of her hair, and then peed on her. She wouldn’t be able to decline either, not with her mother standing less than two feet away; she’d become ungrateful Josie if she did. “My sister Robin married this ridiculously hot guy,” Jonas continued, “and he’s got like two ridiculously hot brothers.”
Aunt Beckett let out what sounded like a hiss, followed by Ruth muttering something unintelligible under her breath. Josie couldn’t be sure, but it almost sounded like ‘don’t do it.’
“And,” Kyle added, “Jonas managed to convince the hotter of the two brothers to go on a date with you.”
No. No. No.
A blind date with some semi-relative of her future brother-in-law was worse than the goat ripping out her hairbefore pissing on her. Only desperate people let their relatives set them up on a date.
“Um.” Her gaze darted back and forth between Kyle and Jonas. Excitement and expectation shone on their faces. For a split second, Josie almost gave in. What harm could come from one tiny, blind date? Worst case scenario, she got a free meal. Then rationale set in. There was no way she could say yes. If the date went south, like blind dates were prone to doing, then she and ‘the hotter of the two’ would never hear the end of it. Plus, the poor guy had to be convinced. Sitting through dinner with a guy who was probably only there to shut Jonas up would be awful.”That’s... ” her mind scrambled. How did she get out of this? “Wow... um... you know... ” And then it hit her. She couldn’t go on a date if she was already dating someone else. “I can’t. I met someone and I want to see where that goes.” It wasn’t a total lie. She had met someone. Sure, that someone was a cat that her aunt had forced on her, but Kyle and Jonas didn’t need to know that.
Kyle blinked,a confused sort of hurt flickering in his eyes. “You met someone?”
Aunt Beckett let out another hiss, and there was no mistaking Ruth’s ‘sweet baby Jesus.’
‘Tell them it’s a joke. You can all laugh it off, and then you can firmly tell them you’re not interested.’ Her mouth opened, the words on the tip of her tongue, and then... nothing. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t take it back. “I’m seeing someone,” she repeated instead.
“Since when?” Kyle demanded.
“Uh.” She licked her lips, her mind searching for a time when she knew Kyle had been super busy. A busy Kyle was a forgetful Kyle. “Last month.” It was perfect. His studio had put on a huge recital and for weeks he’d had to be reminded of things that didn’t pertain to dance. “I told you about him right beforeyour recital.” The lie came so easily; too easily. God. She was so going to hell for this.
“Are you sure?”
Before Josie could respond, Ruth let out a gasp that had everyone in the room staring at her. “Didn’t that jerk you dated in high school move back last month. What was his name?”
“Dirk Jennings,” Aunt Beckett supplied. “Heard he had to move back so he could work for his dad. Got himself four kids and three baby mamas.”
Ruth inhaled shortly. “Please tell me you’re dating him again Josie.”
Burying her face in her hands, Josie groaned inwardly. Dirk the Jerk Jennings was the last person she would date, kids or no kids. He’d dumped her two days before prom for some Westville cheerleader; baby mama number one if Josie remembered correctly.‘It isn’t too late to take it back. Sure, they’ll think you’re crazy and it will be another reason for you mom to call you Jealous Josie and Aunt Beckett will find a litter of deformed kittens to drop on your doorstep but at least they’ll stop assuming you’re so desperate you’d rekindle things with a guy like Dirk.’She couldn’t do it though. She couldn’t take it back and risk being guilt tripped into a date with a guy who had to be convinced to go out with her.
“Of course she’s not dating him again,” Jonas clucked his tongue. “Josie’s smarter than that.”
“Well, whoever this guy is, I’m relieved.”
Wait. What? Josie frowned. “You’re relieved?”
“Yeah. I was starting to think you’d given up or something.”
Disbelief coursed through Josie. “Given up on what?” She inhaled sharply when Kyle muttered something about life and love. “Why would you think something like that?”
“I don't know Josie, maybe because you still technically live at home, you never date, and you have four cats.”
